The Chinese word **自助 (zìzhù)**, meaning "self-service" or "buffet," is a **compound word** formed by combining two meaningful characters: **自 (zì)**, which means "self," and **助 (zhù)**, which means "to help" or "assist." When combined, they create a logical and semantic relationship where **自** modifies **助**, literally conveying the concept of "helping oneself" or "self-assistance." This formation follows a common Chinese word-formation pattern where the first element describes the manner (self-) and the second indicates the action (helping), resulting in a term widely used for concepts like buffet restaurants (**自助餐**) or DIY services.